Airlines

Qatar Airways is set to become the first international airline to install live onboard satellite television as part of a $100 million agreement with Lufthansa Technik.

The award-winning airline plans to introduce the new feature on its long-haul fleet of Airbus A330s by the end of the year. The $100 million agreement also includes engine maintenance and overhaul of the airline’s Airbus A320 family of short-haul aircraft over the next 10 years. Lufthansa Technik will install Rockwell Collins’ Tailwind 560 product for onboard live satellite television on the airline’s fleet of 15 A330s. Passengers will be able to watch live TV from selected networks, further enhancing their inflight entertainment options.Engineers and technicians will equip the fleet with antennas and corresponding systems and integrate the TV function into Qatar Airways’ existing award-winning interactive inflight entertainment system.In addition, Lufthansa Technik’s engine services in Hamburg will service the different IAE V2500 engine variants of Qatar Airways' family of Airbus A320 aircraft under its Total Engine Support contract.Al Baker said onboard live satellite television was yet another product initiative that would differentiate Qatar Airways from its competitors even further.“As a key player in the Middle East and international aviation market, Qatar Airways always commits itself to the highest standards of inflight entertainment and onboard amenities,” he explained.He added “By entrusting our engines to Lufthansa Technik, we are working with a partner that is well respected around the world for its high standards of service delivery.” Qatar Airways’ entertainment system onboard its widebody A330 fleet is fully interactive offering audio video on demand which gives passengers greater viewing and listening options. The stop, pause, rewind and forward functions provide greater flexibility allowing passengers to view movies and TV programmes from around the world at the time of their choice on their personal entertainment system.Qatar Airways offers personal TV screens across all three cabins – Economy, Business and First Class – on its A330s with individual LCD TV screens for every passenger.At 15 inches, Qatar Airways’ First Class and Business Class personal TV screens are the largest in the Middle East, as are the economy cabin’s 9-inch screens.Lufthansa Tecknik chairman August Henningsen added “The growth in the global aviation market becomes more and more visible with the Middle East region being at the forefront of this expansion.”

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